Improvement in steam-valves



WITNE'S v GQ Sheets-Sheet 1. S. CURTIS.

STEAM-VALVE.

Patented May 29, 1.877.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. CURTIS.

STEAM-VALVE.

No.' 191,279. Y Patented May 29,1877.

INVENTOR Patented May 29,1877.

, INVENTOR S'fwudv am ATTO Nays WITN SES N- PETERS, PHDTO-UTMOGRAPMER.

UNITED STATES PATENT @Errea SAMUEL CURTIS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-VALVES.

Specification forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 21,279, dated May 29,1877; application filed April 19, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL CURTIS, o Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Steam-Pumps; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, referencebeing had tothe accompanying drawings,

l which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in steam-valves; andconsists in the combination of devices and apptiances, as hereinafterset forth and claimed.

In the drawing, Figure lis a view in elevation of an engine embracing myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3, an end view,showing the relative arrangement of the parts in cross-section.v Fig. 4is an enlarged separateview, which more clearly il lustrates myinvention. Fig. 5 is a vertical section ofthe main valve-chambers aud ofthe steam-cylinder. Y

A is a steam-cylinder. B is a steam-pipe, which .supplies steam t0 thesaid cylinder through the intermediate valve-chambers O and theirinclosed cylindrical valves G1. The valves G1 are connected by a rod,C2, and a coupling, O3, so that the two valves C1 constitute, inreality, a single valve. D represents two vertical double-seated valves,the office of which is to supply and exhaust steam alternately to theouter ends of the valve or valves C1, and thereby shift the said valveU1 at the proper intervals for supplying steam to the steam-cylinder A.The vertical valves D, as stated, have two seats, one at D1 and theother at D2. The lower end of the valve-stem projects down nearly to thesteam-cylinder, and at this point has a spherical seat, which rests uponthe ball E, the ball E in turn resting in a stationary spherical seat,and projecting a short distance down into the steamcylinder.` rlhepiston-head A of the steamcylinder is beveled slightly at a' on itsfront and rear edges, so that in its motion as it comes in contactwitheither ball E it will lift the ball from its place, and this liftingof the ball lifts the valve D.

The operation of this valve D is as follows:

B1 is the steam-port leading from the valvechamber O1 t0 thesteam-cylinder. F is a steam-conduit, leading from the steam-pipe B tothe upper portion of the chamber of the valve D. The valve D is hollow.df, an opening is made through it upon the valve-seat D1. Just abovethis valve-seat D1 a conduit, G, leads directly to the outer end of thevalve-chamber C.

H is an exhaustconduit, leading from -the same end of the valve-chamberto a point 0pposite an annular groove, H1, in the vertical valve D, andopposite a continuation, H2, of the said conduit leads to` theexhaust-chamber H? of the engine.

Now, we will suppose the valve C1 to be in a position farthest to theright, so as to admit steam through the left-hand portion of the valveinto the rleft end of the steam-cylinder A. The steam-pistou will thenbe driven to the right until its piston strikes the ball E. rThis willlift the upright valve D. The upright valve D has free steam within itfrom the steam-pipe F. As it is lifted from the .f

seat D1 steam passes from within through the opening d', thence throughthe conduit G to the right hand of the valve O1. At the same instant, bythe raising ofthe valve D, the exhaust is cut off through the conduit H,so that the free steam passing through the conduitGr drives the valve C1t0 the left. This cuts oii the supply of steam to the left end of thecylinder A, and opens the exhaust at that point, while, at the sametime, it opens the steamport at the right-hand end of the steam-cylinderA and closes its exhaust-port. The pist0n then moves tothe other end ofthe cylinder, and the same operation takes place at that point with theother ball E and valve D.

It will thus be seen that I may employ free steam for driving the valveC1, and that the supply' of this live steam to shift the valves is givenby a positive motion ofthe valves D through the medium of thesteam-piston and the balls E. The balls are constantly changing theirseats, and consequently the spherical seats and the ball itself Wearuniform and maintain their spherical form and a tight joint.

The spherical seats, in which the ball E rests, are in the nature ofbushings I, that, as they wear away, may be renewed. So, also,

At a point,

the valves D can be readily lifted from their places andnew valvesinserted.

The valves O1 may be of any suitable character; but I prefer to employsuch cylindrical valves as were patented to me in Letters Patent No.183,909, dated October 31, 1876.

In order to compensate for any slight wear on the surface of the valve,and to prevent steam from leaking from the end ofthe valve as the valveis shifted, I propose to employ packing-rings J in connection therewith.

By aconstruction of this character the steam can be brought closely tothc points where it is required in the same cylinder. The supply-portsand conduits are reduced to the shortest length possible, no steam iswasted, the minimum amount of steam is employed in shifting the valves.and on the whole the construction is such as to utilize the steam to thegreatest extent, avoidingl condensation, and thereby economizing fuel.

e is a screw-tap hole in the ball E, into which a screw-cut rod may berun to lift the ball from its seat, if desired.

Lift-valves D are kept seated by the pressure of live steam on theirupper ends. In order to allow of an annular exhaust-groove of sufcientsize around the upper end of the lift-valve to admit of a free exhaustfrom the end of the valve-chamber to the main exhaust,

and also to afford sufficient area ot' valve tov insure the desiredsteam-pressure on its upper end, the lift-valves are made with theirupper ends of considerably greater'diameterv than the lower end, thelatter portion servingsimply as a tappet, and the upper portion of? thevalve cored out, whereby the live steam is carried within the valve andin close proximity to the valve-chamber. Again, the annular passagearound the valve is of sufficient size to admit of' a free and readyexhaust of steam from the end of the valve-chamber to the main exhaust;and, iinally, the valves are reduced to the minimum Weight of material,and thereby rendered easy of operation.

It will be observed that the lift-valves, when seated, serve toconstitute a free exhaust-passage from the ends of the valve-chamber tothe main exhaust, and hence the function performed by the piston inlifting the valve is to cut oli' the exhaust-passage and establish acontinuous passage for the, passage of live steam to the end of thevalve.

Piston-valve G1 is formed hollow with an opening on the upper side forthe admission of live steam, and an opening on the lower side for thepassage of steam to the port leading to the end of the cylinder.

An exhaust-passage is constructed in the lower portion of the valve toconnect the steam-port with the exhaust-port.

- By this construction the live steam operates to keep'the valve inequlibrium, and the same is reciprocated by the alternate action ofsteam on its outer ends.

What I claim isl. rJlhe combination, with the steam-cylinder A,independent valve-chambers C, and valves G1, the latter connected tomove in unison with each other, of the hollow doubleseated lift-valvesD, steam-conduits d G, and exhaust-conduits H, H1, and H2, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with cylinder A, piston A', independentvalve-chambers'G, and valves G1, of the lift-valves D, provided withsuitable steam and exhaust ports, as described, and lball E, -theVlatter arranged to proj. ct slightly within cylinder A, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with valvesGl, of the hollow double-seatedlift-valve D, steam-passages d G leading to one end of the valvechamberC, and exhaust-passagesH, Hl, and H2, connecting with the upper portionof valve D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination ofthe valve D, ballE, and piston A,'substantially asand for the purposes described.

5. The combination, with a main steam-cylinder, and two valves locatedin independent valve chambers, each of which govern separate steam andexhaust ports leading to the ends of the main cylinder, ofindependentliftvalves located outside of the main valve-cham-l Intestimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL CURTIS.

Witnesses FRANCES ToUMEY, W. E. DoNNELLY.

